Hornets' bench boss change opens with split results

Earlier in the week the Hornets had announced that Garinger, who came
over from Midland in the off-season, and replaced McCarthy who left for
Caledon, was let go by the Jr. C organization, and for the remainder of
the season would be coached by Clay Birkett, the team's Director of
Hockey Operations.

It was a four point game for four Hornets including Dakota Brooks, Mark
ODonnell,, and Bobby Sloan who each scored twice, and two assists,
while Jacob Tuck assisted on four goals. Jamie Bennett pitched in with
a goal and assist, while single markers went to Andrew Ceolin, Matt
Hamilton, and Brendan Spencer.

Birkett told Free Press Online this morning he felt it was the team's
"best complete game of the year."

"We were solid yesterday from player 1 to 20. Our work ethic and
positional play was very good but we still need to improve," he wrote
via email. "The power play was changed for yesterday's game and we went
3 for 5 with good control. Our aggressiveness on the (penalty kill)
lead to three short-handed goals and we killed 8 of 9."

Birkett said he expects "team work, structure, high energy and
aggressive all over the ice." It's also not his first foray behind the Hornets' bench. He has assisted former coach Darrin Shannon, and was a head coach both in Alliston and the Bradford Bulls during the mid 1990s.

The Hornets now sit nine points out of first place with six games
remaining, while first place Penetang is on the verge of winning its
first regular season title since 2005, with four games remaining. But
two of those are this weekend against the Hornets, starting Friday
night in Penetang, and Sunday night at the NTRC.

Alliston also has two remaining games against Schomberg, which sits
tied with the Hornets for second place, and one each against Stayner
and Caledon.

Birkett said he hopes to get David Leblanc, out five weeks with an
injury, back in the line-up in time for the playoffs.